ROMA – A phone call, sometimes, doesn’t extend life in blue. The freezing shower in Formello after training, when Ciro saw Luciano Spalletti’s name flash on his cell phone. It wasn’t good news. The coach, a couple of hours before Coverciano released the list of 29 players called up for Macedonia and Ukraine, called him. A necessary gesture to communicate and explain one’s choices directly to the Lazio center forward who he himself had invested with the role of captain at the beginning of September. He doesn’t see him in form, he’s coming from a delicate period, even Sarri has used him little and Italy, at the moment, cannot afford the slightest risk, still having to guarantee entry to Germany 2024. It may sound like a failure , but it is a technical choice of the moment. Spalletti believes that Scamacca, Raspadori and Kean are now superior to Ciro, fitter and more reliable for the next two matches. That may be true, but you may also have some doubts.
Motionless, all the doubts
The goal in the Champions League, the two hundredth of his career with Lazio, was not enough to convince the coach that the worst was over. Until Tuesday, honestly, it would have been difficult to imagine Immobile’s call-up, but after seeing him in action with the Dutch at the Olimpico, once again improving and moving to score a goal for his team, launched deep by Felipe, the doubts could have been dispelled. . Furthermore, there are no Kane, Lewandowski or even Haaland in front of the best active Italian scorer, although Scamacca, already considered by Mancini, has the path clear to be considered the center forward of the blue future. Kean, who is liked by the new coach, and Raspadori, who entered Lucio’s heart in Naples, can also be used on the left lane of the attack, as happened in Bari against Malta, where Italy (despite their modest opponent) struggled to enter the area. The same thing happened at San Siro against Ukraine: Raspadori excelled in his phrasing and his connection with the wingers, but in front of goal he devoured three or four sensational goals. If it had happened to Ciro, he would have been torn to pieces by certain critics prejudiced against him, but this too is a known story and testified to by archive collections. A couple of aspects stand out: the moral investiture with which he had been honored with the captain’s armband, the sense of belonging to the blue shirt which he represents better than others and a very banal observation: one presence, a headed goal against Macedonia on the 9th September, otherwise who knows how it would have ended. He hadn’t played very well, yet he had managed to fulfill the main task of a center forward: scoring.
Immobile’s disappointment at not being called up
Ciro didn’t expect it. He would have been in the group even if he wasn’t a starter, he was keen to play in Rome on Friday. Spalletti certainly hasn’t canceled it. He looks at the pitch, the doors remain open. By returning to score and play regularly at Lazio, Ciro will take Italy back, provided that the Azzurri qualify for the 2024 European Championship: otherwise, it would be goodbye. A bit paradoxical. Mancini, although it wasn’t his ideal 9, never dumped him. Spalletti excluded him after handing him the armband: I have never seen a turnaround of this kind even if the logic of the pitch applies. Only Provedel, with Zaccagni unavailable, remains in the blue squad. Sarri is perhaps the only one satisfied. During the break he will be able to train him and tomorrow he plans to exploit his anger in the derby. A hypothetical question remains pending: what if Ciro went wild against Roma tomorrow, would the coach reconsider?
Look at the gallery
Derby Lazio-Roma, the probable lineup chosen by Sarri© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
2023-11-11 08:42:24
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